Seed test-cool weather-soaked

I am continuing my tests with cool weather and dormant seeding and soaking seed to pre-germinate grass seed. Also some seed was sown on top of snow in February.
This time Scotts "High Traffic" a mixture high in ryegrass (especially the highly regarded "Silver Dollar") was seeded in four different situations. This time the tests were outside in containers. Started April 8, 2011. Temperatures of soil were about 55 degrees. Seed in garden--no container--had a soil temp of 47. Air temps were cool (about 50) but on April 10 we had a record temp of 85 degrees. At 48 hours no sign of germination.

1. Untreated control
2. Soaked 24 hours
3. Soaked 72 hours
4. Untreated, sown direct in garden soil
5. Sown in February on top of snow in large container

Well, not official yet, not sure of this, but I think I see some tiny 1/16 tall sprouts of the grass seed planted in a container of potting soil on top of snow on Feb 25, 2011. Scotts "High Traffic" (high in Silver Dollar and Defender perennial rye). Today is April 13. Air temp 58. Soil temp 52. Site about half day shade.

Someone here asked recently about a product called superthrive. I had some on hand so I did a seed soak trial with mung bean sprouts. In one I used superthrive, another a product called vegetable thrive. Control was filtered water. Each batch was soaked for 12 hours, then rinsed and drained two to three times a day for three days.

Being different products I don't know how close I got on dosing, but I tried to follow the requirements for regularly watering plants with each product.

One product is growth hormones and vitamins, the other is mix of beneficial bacteria. The beneficial bacteria, vegetable thrive, produced much thicker but shorter tails and the highest germination rate. The vitamin hormone mix-superthrive produced longer but skinnier tails at a lower germination rate. Water produced less germination yet and short skinny tails.

Yes, the primary root. You're correct, the growth hormone/vitamin product produced long but thin tails....oops primary roots (stuck on that sprouting lingo).
I failed to add but the beneficials batch had their roots emerging first.
These were mung bean sprouts for eating so they didn't make it to the first true leaves stage. I suggest if you want to experiment with these or other products for sprouting, grow the grass seed into plants to also see the difference in color, growth rate, hardiness, etc.

The lengths and girths of the primary roots may not say much about the finished product but the higher and quicker germination rate and the stout roots in the beneficial bacteria batch is what impressed me.
I don't know what would be better. Longer thin roots may anchor faster but get uprooted or damaged easier, I suspect. Just throwing it out there so you can expand your trials a little if you want.

Seed sown on top of snow--early results. Seed was sown February 25, 2011, Scotts "High Traffic" High in Silverdollar, and Defender perennial rye. Today April 15, the early sprouts became visible. They are about 1/4 inch high. Weather has been in the 50's during the day and 30 to 40 at night, but one day hit 85 degrees. Only a few seeds sprouted so perhaps germination is low. I counted 6 sprouts.
Perhaps winter or dormant seeding might work.